The present invention provides for an apparatus and a method for applying flocking to the outsole of a shoe. More specifically, the invention is directed to a method for applying flocking to the outsole of a shoe without the need for electrical grids or apparatus for interposing an electrical field between the outsole of a shoe and a supply of flocking.
It is known in the art of shoe manufacture to apply flocking to the upper of a shoe or to the outsole of the shoe. The present invention is concerned with the application of flocking to the outsole of a shoe in order to achieve a decorative effect and/or for comfort.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,558 for a Fabric Shoe Outsole Manufacturing Method by Electrostatic Flocking covers a process for applying flocking to the outsole of a shoe by dropping fibers through a screen placed above the outsole. The screen electrically charges the fibers. The charge on the fibers causes them to align in a desired way before they become embedded in an adhesive that has been applied to the outsole in order to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. 2004/006890 A1 for a Shoe with Slip-Resistant, Flocked Fabric Outsole teaches the construction of a shoe having an outsole to which a multitude of finely cut, relatively short, flock fibers is applied over an adhesive coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,411 to Johnson et al. for a Process For Applying a Flocked Coating to a Cloth Surface such as a Tennis Shoe discloses a process for applying flocking to the upper of a tennis shoe and indicates that an electrostatic field can be used to apply flocking.
Japanese patent application no. JP10100287A discloses a method of affixing multicolored flocking to boot uppers. A mask is sprayed onto the uppers which are then sprayed with black urethane paint which penetrates holes in the mask. A leopard pattern is achieved by the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,629 for a Process and Apparatus for the Production of Synthetic Chamois Leather Footwear discloses a process which uses plastic injection molding to form footwear uppers. The uppers are then coated with adhesive, and are then flocked in a flocking machine. The flocking machine used to apply the flocking depends on electrostatic attraction.
Japanese patent publications nos. 5,147,137 and 8,205,901 are directed to methods of applying flocking to a shoe after first coating the shoe with an adhesive.
All of the prior art methods are potentially dangerous in requiring the application of voltages to form electrostatic fields, or in shooting flocking through pneumatic guns which can cause injury to workers practicing the methods.